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More than most people you know, Oscar-winning animator Pete Docter has marked generations of children for life. I first met him back in 1995, when Pixar launched “Toy Story” into the world. Animation was never the same. I toured the original Pixar compound in Richmond, near San Francisco, and watched over his shoulder as Docter showed me how animators used computers to create characters. That was just the beginning. “Toy Story” was a first step toward a new form of digital motion pictures, pioneered by then leader John Lasseter and the mighty Pixar Brain Trust.

Back in 2018, when Lasseter left the company, Docter moved up to Chief Creative Officer, as the Disney division tried to continue its unsullied record of major hits. It did not always succeed, and the pandemic did not help. But in 2024, “Inside Out 2” broke Pixar’s own box-office record ($1.7 billion worldwide).

For a time, the movie...

Lady and the Tramp's spaghetti scene almost didn't make it due to Walt Disney's concerns over its presentation. Animator Frank Thomas defied Disney's doubts and crafted the iconic scene, showcasing his creative resilience. Thomas' legacy, celebrated in the documentary "Frank and Ollie," highlights his impact on animation history.

In the annals of cinematic history, Lady and the Tramp shines as a beacon of animated storytelling, cherished for its heartwarming tale of love that crosses social divides, accentuated by the iconic Lady and the Tramp spaghetti scene. The Oscar-snubbed Lady and the Tramp narrates the enchanting story of Lady, an elegant Cocker Spaniel, and Tramp, a cunning stray mutt, whose unlikely romance is beautifully captured in the now-iconic spaghetti dinner scene. This scene, emblematic of innocent love, has cemented its place in the hearts of viewers across generations, becoming a defining moment of the film.

However, this beloved sequence was...

Disney documentaries provide a raw look behind the scenes, showcasing the challenges and triumphs of the studio's history. These documentaries explore the making of Disney Parks and iconic films, offering inside information and classic footage. From the chaos of production to the creation of memorable songs, these documentaries offer unique insights into the Disney filmmaking process.

Given how much of a powerhouse Disney is in the entertainment space, it is no surprise that there have been a number of excellent documentaries made about the studio that take audiences behind the magic. The Walt Disney Company has been providing family-friendly content that has made its mark on history for over a century, which means that there is a huge amount of history to be explored. Because of how huge of a fan base the company has, there is no shortage of sources of information that allow people to learn more about...

Fox News apparently thinks “Ed” stands for early death.

Anyone who watches late night TV knows that 55-year-old Frank Thomas is alive and thriving. The former White Sox slugger and three-time MLB All-Star is nearly ubiquitous in male supplement commercials.

But during a segment on Fox’s The Faulkner Focus, Thomas was shown with his year of birth and alleged year of death as 2023. However, it was another Frank Thomas who died. The actual deceased Thomas was born in 1929 and died Jan. 16, 2023. The deceased Thomas was a three-time all-star for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

To its credit, the network quickly corrected the gaffe. “We also need to quickly issue a correction in the ‘in memoriam’ feature that we showed just a few minutes ago,” guest anchor Julie Banderas said. “We misidentified the late Frank Thomas, the three-time all-star for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Frank Thomas we showed you, unfortunately, was also a former pro baseball player.

The Incredibles contains numerous Easter eggs and references, including nods to other Disney movies and Pixar's own history. The studio is known for hiding references to previous films in new creations, but The Incredibles is the first Pixar film to not include the Pizza Planet truck from Toy Story. The film pays tribute to important people at Pixar, such as featuring characters resembling legendary animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston.

As a Pixar film, The Incredibles is full of Easter eggs and references. Some of these are from popular movies out of the Disney studio, while others reference aspects of the Superhero world. Additionally, some side characters in The Incredibles are meant to pay homage to people who have played essential parts at Pixar studios and therefore earned a place in this beloved film.

Of course, The Incredibles isn't the only Pixar film to contain these sorts of Easter eggs.

The popular baseball video game, MLB The Show 23 includes a large roster of baseball legends, including Mark McGwire, Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, and more. Developed by San Diego Studios and published by Sony Interactive, this game takes the best of baseball and turns it into a video game for players everywhere to enjoy. For 2023 there were a fitting 23 Legends added to the game who can be played as or against, as well as collecting them to create the perfect team for Diamond Dynasty mode.

One of the exciting changes with each new yearly version of MLB The Show is the addition of new athletes for players to choose from in the game. The "Legends" Program within MLB The Show honors former Legends from the MLB teams and these Legends are all highly coveted within the game for their high stats. They are particularly useful for anyone wanting to play...

At last week’s “Coco” premiere at the El Capitan in Hollywood, John Lasseter had a look of sadness in his eyes. The usual gregarious charm didn’t come as easily. Maybe he was tired: he’d been running both Pixar and Disney Animation as chief creative officer for the last 11 years.

That was the explanation when Lasseter first stepped down as director of “Toy Story 4” earlier this year. Then came Tuesday’s shocking revelation of alleged unwanted advances, forcing the animation mogul — who was known for his warm hugs — to take a six-month leave of absence from the studios, apologizing for “missteps” in a memo to his Disney/Pixar staff.

Lasseter, by far the most powerful and influential figure in contemporary animation, joins a growing list of big-name players in Hollywood, the media, and politics accused of sexual misconduct (including Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, and Charlie Rose). This...

Charlie Sheen finally got what he wanted in a "Major League" reunion -- well, sorta -- but with a baseball movie curve ball. Sheen got together Sunday -- seemingly for the first time in a long time -- with his fellow 'Major League' costars Corbin Bernsen and Tom Berenger for a little baseball softball action at the real-life "Field of Dreams" from the movie of the same name. Sources close to the event tell TMZ...

J-Rod is going strong.

Over the weekend, Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez hit the town in Miami, where the athlete is in town for work commitments surrounding the Mlb All-Star game.

On Sunday night, Rodriguez, 41, was accompanied by Lopez, 47, as he hosted a dinner at Prime 112 for a group of friends from Fox Sports, including Joe Buck, Frank Thomas and John Smoltz. Guests dined on steak (for Rodriguez) and sea bass (for Lopez), as well as fried Oreos and sipped on D’Usse Cognac.

“They were celebrating the All-Star game in Alex’s hometown,” says a source about the couple.

Fox will give its due to, in its own words, “one of the most gifted Major League Baseball players in history” by nationally broadcasting Alex Rodriguez’s final game this Friday, as the New York Yankees host the Tampa Bay Rays.

Play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt, analyst John Smoltz and reporter Ken Rosenthal will oversee Fox’s coverage, preceded a pregame show airing at 7 pm (with host Chris Myers and analysts Frank Thomas, Tom Verducci and Cj Nitkowski).

The Yes Network will also televise the game live within its New York/New Jersey/Connecticut/ Pennsylvania footprint, with pregame coverage beginning at 6 pm.

Since 1989, the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress has been accomplishing the important task of preserving films that “represent important cultural, artistic and historic achievements in filmmaking.” From films way back in 1897 all the way up to 2004, they’ve now reached 675 films that celebrate our heritage and encapsulate our film history.

Today they’ve unveiled their 2015 list, which includes classics such as Douglas Sirk‘s melodrama Imitation of Life, Hal Ashby‘s Being There, and John Frankenheimer‘s Seconds. Perhaps the most popular picks, The Shawshank Redemption, Ghostbusters, Top Gun, and L.A. Confidential were also added. Check out the full list below.

Being There (1979)

Chance, a simple-minded gardener (Peter Sellers) whose only contact with the outside world is through television, becomes the toast of the town following a series of misunderstandings. Forced outside his protected environment by the death of his wealthy boss, Chance subsumes his late employer’s persona,...

Since its release 60 years ago this week (on June 22, 1955), "Lady and the Tramp" has been not just one of the most beloved Disney animated features ever made, but also one of the great romances in screen history.

Still, as often as you've seen it, there's still plenty you may not know about how the canine classic came to be, So grab a plate of spaghetti and meatballs and chow down on 19 of "Lady"'s behind-the-scenes dish.

1. It took nearly 20 years to get the film made. The main character originated in sketches made by Disney animator Joe Grant in 1937, based on his own spaniel, whose name was Lady. Grant envisioned a short cartoon about a dog who's puzzled by the arrival of his masters' newborn baby.

2. By 1940, Walt Disney had imagined expanding the short into a feature and adding a dog-hating housesitter, two mischievous Siamese cats (then named Nip and Tuck), and a suitor for Lady,...

"Transformers" (2007) launched Megan Fox to international stardom -- and into every man's dreams.

This summer, the actress re-teams with Michael Bay -- following their reconciliation -- for another film adaptation of a classic cartoon, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." Since breaking out, Fox has been seen in "Jennifer's Body" and "This Is 40," gotten married to her longtime boyfriend, Brian Austin Green, and popped out a couple kids. Now, she's back in action as April O'Neil and looking better than ever.

From her (not so) unusual fear to her connection to Eminem, here are 21 things you probably don't know about Megan Fox.

1. Megan Fox was born May 16, 1986 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee to Gloria Cisson and Franklin Thomas Fox.

2. After her parents divorced when she was young, Fox was raised by her mother and stepfather in St. Petersburg, Florida.

3. Fox attended Catholic school and, as part of an agreement with her mother,...

Bobby Cox, Tom Glavine, Tony La Russa, Greg Maddux, Frank Thomas and Joe Torre are inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame 2014 class in Cooperstown, N.Y., on Sunday, July 27. Mlb Network has exclusive coverage of the ceremony live at 1:30pm Et. Mlb Network begins the festivities with Mlb Tonight on Sunday at 12pm Et, featuring Greg Amsinger, Peter Gammons, Harold Reynolds and John Smoltz, and Bob Costas will have exclusive interviews with all six new inductees before the ceremony. Additional details in the press release from Mlb Network below: 2014 National Baseball Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony … Continue reading →

The post National Baseball Hall of Fame 2014 induction ceremony on Mlb Network appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.

There are few topics that get baseball fans more riled up than the question of who should (or should not) be in the Hall of Fame. People tend to take that shit extremely personally, as if denying your pet case for induction a plaque in Cooperstown — or giving one to an "undeserving" player ahead of him — is somehow tantamount to negating your fandom, your childhood or even your very existence as a human being.

Farewell to the Captain: Can Anyone Replace Derek Jeter?

We've all got our top five or...

Mlb All-Star Game 2014 TV coverage on Fox begins Tuesday, July 15, at 7:30pm Et from Target Field in Minneapolis. The best of the American League take on the best of the National League as voted by fans in the Midsummer Classic. Calling the game is play-by-play announcer Joe Buck along with analysts Harold Reynolds and Tom Verducci. Ken Rosenthal and Erin Andrews are field reporters, and Kevin Burkhardt anchors pregame coverage with analysts Frank Thomas and Gabe Kapler. Expect the New York Yankees’ Derek Jeter to get the spotlight as he’ll be playing in his final All-Star Game, as … Continue reading →

The post Mlb All-Star Game 2014 TV coverage on Fox appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.

At a couple points during one of the precious few special features on the Saving Mr. Banks Blu-ray, the people on screen, from the film’s director to family members of some of the men who worked with Walt Disney in the 1930s and 1940s, echo the following talking point: Walt Disney was not a nostalgic man, but one who was constantly looking forward into the future. By “talking point,” I don’t mean to infer that this statement is inaccurate, at least in terms of Disney’s public statements. The phrase “Keep moving forward” is part of one of many quotes attributed to the legendary figure, even becoming the backbone of the 2007 animated film Meet the Robinsons. So yes, Walt Disney, at least publicly, was very passionate regarding the future. But hearing this bromide in the middle of a special feature regarding a movie so wholly obsessed with building...

It's been more than a decade since the 1990s ended, yet the Internet can't seem to go a day without a reminder of the neon slap bracelets that may have been banned from your school.

Yes, we get it. Times are tough and there's comfort in reflection, but enough is enough.

Below, a final goodbye to the 90s to end the nostalgia once and for all. (We're not kidding. There are 1990 items below.)

1. Scrunchies

2. "The Wild Thornberries"

3. Dawson and Joey

4. "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys"

5. Mr. Feeny

7. MTV playing music videos

8. Snick

9. The premiere of "Freaks and Geeks"

10. Levar Burton

11. "Daria"

12. "Arthur"

13. "The Powerpuff Girls"

14. "Smart Guy"

15. Comedy Central globe logo with buildings

16. "The X-Files"

17. Rosie O'Donnell

18. Bill Nye

19. "Dawson's Creek"

20. The Mighty Ducks"

21. "Are You Afraid of the Dark"

22. Cornholio

23. Rachel Green

24. Tim Allen

25. "All That"

26. "Beverly Hills 90210"

27. "Step by Step"

28. "The Ren & Stimpy Show"

29. "The Famous Jett Jackson"

30. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer...

No, friends, you haven’t slept past the weekend, and your calendars aren’t wrong. It’s time for a brand-new Mousterpiece Cinema, during the week! Aren’t you lucky? (Don’t get used to this kind of multiple-episode manna from heaven.) And even better, this is a totally different episode, with a Mousterpiece Cinema first! Mike and Josh wanted to review the Disney documentary Walt and El Grupo, but there’s one problem: it’s not accessible in any way in Canada, so Mike hasn’t seen it. As such, all he could do was interview the film’s director, Ted Thomas, son of the late Frank Thomas. But he stuck around to hear Josh’s thoughts on the film and its place in Disney’s documentary universe. Was Josh a fan? Could Mike allay his concerns? And is Ted Thomas a duck person or a mouse person? Find...

By Todd Garbarini

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Walt Disney Studios graciously provided me with the opportunity recently to discuss Peter Pan with two of the film’s stars: Kathryn Beaumont, who provided the voice of Wendy, and Paul Collins, who provided the voice of John Darling.

Kathryn Beaumont

Todd Garbarini: Thank you for speaking with me about Peter Pan.

Kathryn Beaumont: Thank you, it’s my pleasure!

Tg: I am a big fan of the Disney cartoons as I spent the better part of my childhood seeing them.

Kb: I'm so glad! They really are special, aren't they? The Disney cartoons really stand the test of time.

Tg: These are some of the earliest movies I ever saw in both movie theaters and drive-ins. I really miss the drive-ins. There are so few of them left.

Kb: I know! I miss the drive-ins, too!

Tg: I...

Cinelinx has a wonderful thought after watching the Peter Pan: Diamond Edition Blu-ray!

The Set-up

Three British children are transported to Neverland, where a young boy named Peter and his band of Lost Boys do battle with the nefarious pirate Captain Hook. Based on the classic children's novel by Sir James Barrie.

The Delivery

Sir James M. Barrie's classic children's novel about the boy who never grew up has seen a number of incarnations, from the original story to a number of silent film and stage adaptations. Walt Disney's animated version, released in 1953, keeps some of the elements of the original story, with a good amount of Disneyfication (for lack of a better term) thrown in.

The fact that Disney softened some of the darker elements, added musical numbers, and changed a few things is hardly a drawback. In fact, it gives this version just the right personality and distinction.

It’s been 60 years to the day since Peter Pan, the Walt Disney animated classic, opened in theaters nationwide. So what better way to commemorate the birthday of the boy who wouldn’t grow up than by checking the film out on Blu-ray for the very first time? That, at least, is the thinking behind Disney’s decision to release the Diamond Edition of Peter Pan today, hoping to remind children of all ages of this iconic animated entry. A few movie-specific issues aside, this is a fully packed home media release, a massive new Blu-ray, overstuffed with special features, even if some of them might be too familiar.

The story of how the always-young Peter Pan takes three British children to the fabled island of Neverland and their exciting adventures against the villainous pirate Captain Hook is one of the most familiar of the last 100 years. Who among us...

The new Blu-ray/DVD/Digital release of Walt Disney’s Peter Pan includes the bonus features from previous DVD releases plus a few additions, including Growing up with Nine Old Men, a short documentary in which Ted Thomas, the filmmaker and son of top Disney animator Frank Thomas, checks in with the children of the other artists who were nicknamed the Nine Old Men. There are no revelations or airing of dirty laundry, but if you’re a diehard Disney buff you’ll enjoy learning about the personal lives, families, and hobbies of such animation titans as Thomas, Ollie Johnston, Ward Kimball, Milt Kahl, Wolfgang Reitherman, Les Clark, and John Lounsbery. (Marc Davis and Eric Larson...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]...

The Rescuers

Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, John Lounsbery, Art Stevens

Written by Larry Clemmons, Vance Gerry, Ken Anderson, Frank Thomas, Burny Mattinson, Fred Lucky, Dick Sebast, Dave Michener

Starring Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, Geraldine Page, Pat Buttram, George Lindsey

One of the most fascinating aspects of our podcast is watching the struggle within the Walt Disney Company to blend reality and fantasy. From the beginning, Disney had stated that he wanted movies like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to be perceived as films for adults, as opposed to films for children or families. I’m always heartened to see that comment brought up in modern conversation, because the stigma that animation is specifically for children hasn’t ever dissipated in popular culture. What frustrates me is the film Disney refers to, and how it became a template of sorts for the animators and filmmakers who work at the Walt Disney Company.

The Aristocats

Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman

Written by Ken Anderson, Larry Clemmons, Eric Cleworth, Vance Garry, Tom McGowan, Tom Rowe, Julius Svendsen, Frank Thomas, and Ralph Wright

Starring Phil Harris, Eva Gabor, Scatman Crothers

Complacency is always a dangerous tone to strike in filmmaking. Combined with cheapness, it can be a killer. Those two concepts are what stand out most of all from the Wolfgang Reitherman era of Walt Disney Pictures. For various reasons, most of which were beyond Reitherman’s control, most of the films from Walt Disney Pictures between 1959’s Sleeping Beauty and 1989’s The Little Mermaid felt cheap and lazy. (Being fair, Reitherman’s time at the company ended, for the most part, with 1977’s The Rescuers, but the four films between that and Mermaid have varying aspects of laziness on display, I think.) And make no mistake: the word “cheap” does not need to be a criticism.

Pop culture can be a funny thing. I don’t mean “Ha ha” funny, although that is also sometimes true. I mean funny as in a head-shaking “Ain’t that a bitch,” kind of way.

For example, yesterday I went to see Ted. I didn’t want to, but it was the Number One box office hit this weekend and my son, the genius, is doing a blog on the subject, and he was in town for the Del Close Marathon. It’s not a very good movie, in my opinion, but I’m not a huge fan of Seth McFarlane. He’s okay, and I will always support him because his work points out the blistering hypocrisy of our shared alma mater . And I like fart jokes more than the average little old Jewish lady.

Still, I found myself tearing up. Did the film have unexpected emotional depth? No.

As a child growing up, I loved cartoons. At that time (the 1950s and early 1960s), that’s a bit like saying that I loved breathing. There were cartoons on Saturday morning, and cartoons every afternoon. The movie theater near my Grandmother’s house had Saturday matinees that were three hours of cartoons.

But I loved comic books more.

My husband, John Tebbel, was the first animation maven I ever met. He not only knew the difference between Disney and Warner Brothers, but he knew the individual directors, and quickly taught me how to spot Tex Avery, Chuck Jones, Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnson. He explained who the Fleischer Studio was and why I should care.

We went to animation festivals in Ottawa, Canada and Annecy, France. I saw films by George Dunning that weren’t Yellow Submarine. I met Bill Scott and June Foray. We would go to the...

When the subject of Disney movies comes up, one film always stands out to me as not getting enough attention. The Fox and the Hound is now out in a 30th Anniversary Blu-Ray release which includes The Fox and the Hound 2, and I'm hopeful that the re-issue allows another generation to add some support to the popularity of both films.

For all that weaves of complicated friendship are not at all uncommon, there is a unique mix at play in The Fox and the Hound that delivers exceedingly well to younger audiences. Not only, as we all know, a fun and engaging movie, but an interesting and relatable situation for all kids, who find friendships waxing and waning.

The presentation of how all aspects of one's life can put pressure on actions, and perspectives can be complex and blurry, is wonderfully drawn, and surprising purposeful to kids who only...

Chicago – As far as kiddie tearjerkers go, “The Fox and the Hound” is one of Disney’s finest. It’s not a great film, and certainly not in the same league as the watershed game-changers that came before or the renaissance masterworks that followed. But it is a tender and bittersweet fable with a message of refreshing complexity. At its heart is a friendship that society has deemed unsustainable, and the film doesn’t shy away from its troubling repercussions.

Based on the novel by Daniel Mannix, this 1981 effort functioned as a crucial turning point in the history of Disney studios, when veteran animators like Wolfgang Reitherman were replaced by a slate of new talent including Ron Clements and John Musker (future co-directors of “The Little Mermaid”). Creative differences intensified between the old guard and the rookies, many of whom found the project to be distressingly bland. This caused the...

In the tradition of heart-warming films, such as Bambi and Dumbo, comes Disney.s classic tales that taught us the power of friendship in The Fox and the Hound and The Fox and the Hound 2, in a special 30th Anniversary 2-Movie Collection. For the first time ever in high-definition, consumers can now experience the brilliant, humor-filled adventures of best friends Copper and Tod in an all-new digitally restored version of the original 1981 film, arriving to stores on August 9, 2011.

Featuring an all-star cast of voice talents, toe-tapping music and fantastic bonus features, consumers can take home two of Disney.s beloved ―tails.∥ The Fox and the Hound and The Fox and the Hound 2, 2-Movie Collection features both movies in a single 3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack. This release provides families with the value, versatility and opportunity to enjoy their favorite movies how they want, when they want and on the...

Andreas Deja is one of the stars of Disney animation. Having worked for the company for nearly thirty years, he has worked on a huge number of their most incredible works, and is responsible for animating many of their iconic characters, including Roger in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Scar in The Lion King and Tigger in Winnie The Pooh, which is released this week.

Deja recently spoke with HeyUGuys to discuss his career to date, his work on Winnie The Pooh and the unique techniques Disney use in developing and animating a story.

———–

On his early career at Disney, and their technique of assigning one animator per character

Your career at Disney started with The Black Cauldron, didn’t it?

It was my first assignment. They had just finished Fox and the Hound, so I was not involved with that, and I jumped right on to Black Cauldron.

You were doing you own character there,...

Jeffrey Neira/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Kalinda (Archie Panjabi) in “The Good Wife.”

In a dazzling set of developments that make the “Foreign Affairs” episode a standout, Alicia finds out about Peter and Kalinda’s fling just as the Florrick family seems to be approaching stability. On a lighter note, the writers have some fun recruiting former Senator and “Law and Order” regular Fred Dalton Thompson to play an actor turned lawyer who throws a Lockhart, Gardner case into chaos.

Films such as Snow White and Pinocchio marked Disney’s golden age. But Mark argues that the animation that came in the decades after was just as good…

Animators, on the whole, are generally in awe of much of the work that Disney animators created during their classic thirties and forties period. Their adulation mostly stems from the attention to detail that was applied to these productions, the time available to work and rework the drawings, and the revolutionary knowledge they acquired in creating those iconic works.

But deep down, they also know that, as amazing as the likes of Dumbo and Pinocchio were and still are, producing films of that visual density using just pencil, ink, acetate and acrylic paint wasn't very practical then, and it certainly isn't now.

It's been said by a number of movie experts that, if Walt had any idea how much time, effort and...

Over a decade since its release, The Iron Giant remains one of the very best animated films in a generation from Hollywood. Might it just be the best family film that you’ve never seen?

Talking to Roy Conli a few weeks ago around the release of Disney's Tangled, which he produced, we got chatting about Treasure Planet.

I've always been a fan of the film, yet we ended up agreeing that it was a film whose failure could, in significant part, be put down to arriving at just the wrong moment.

Treasure Planet turned up as Pixar was growing in strength, with Disney on a corporate downward curve, and with animation embarking on a massive technological arms race that consumes the box office to this day. In short, Treasure Planet was a film, like it or not, a good five to ten years ahead of its time.

But if...

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment presents the DVD debut of three of their critically-acclaimed documentaries. "Walt & El Grupo: The Untold Adventures," "The Boys; The Sherman Brothers' Story," and Buena Vista Home Entertainment release "Waking Sleeping Beauty" hit stores November 30.

In "Walt & El Grupo," the film chronicles a 1941 South American expedition led by Walt Disney himself and a team of animators dubbed as "El Grupo." It features rare candid accounts from the studio's main man and his artists, illustrating the impact the trip had on American and global culture that brought new perspective to the beloved Disney heritage that continues to inspire the world.

The film is directed by Theodore Thomas, whose father Frank Thomas as one of the "El Grupo" animators on the trip.

In "The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story," the docu-film features Richard and Robert Sherman, brothers who nabbed Oscar trophies for Best Original Song and Best...

As Tangled arrives in Us cinemas, we spend some time with one of Disney’s most legendary animators, Mr Glen Keane…

Round-table interviews notoriously can go one of a few ways. If you’re lucky, and we’ve had more positive experiences than not, then the flow of conversation is aided by the contribution of lots of minds in the same room. On the other hand, it can lead to very a disjointed discussion.

On this occasion? Everything went tremendously. For Glen Keane is one of Disney’s legendary animators, with his work on Ariel in The Little Mermaid, the Beast in Beauty And The Beast, on Tarzan, Aladdin, Treasure Planet and more standing tall. And when he spoke, we wisely just listened, and let a true animation great tell his tales.

We were lucky enough to get some individual time with Glen afterwards, too, and we’ll run that...

It looks like we're entering a whole new world of documentaries about the Walt Disney Company. There have been two feature-length documentaries about Disney released in theaters during the last seven months alone. Last fall's "Walt & El Grupo" examined Walt Disney's goodwill tour of South America in the 1940s. This week's "Waking Sleeping Beauty" is an insider's account of the company's return to artistic form during the 1980s and early 1990s. Disney, both the man and the company, remain one of the most interesting subjects in Hollywood history, and there are plenty more possible topics for future documentaries. But many of them wouldn't paint the Mouse House in such a favorable light. So the question then becomes -- would Disney ever let anyone make them?

Though "Waking Sleeping Beauty" has earned plaudits from some critics for its candor, these films are still to varying degrees Disney movies about Disney, made...

There were very few surprises last night as The Hurt Locker picked up six Oscars including “Best Picture.” Despite the Academy’s expansion of the category, the Iraq war film had become a forgone conclusion after sweeping most of the ceremonies leading up to Sunday. It’s the lowest grossing movie to ever win the top prize and do so without the usual expensive advertising campaign.

In another first, Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman in the ceremony’s 82 year history to win “Best Director,” beating out strong competition from her ex-husband James Cameron and more. The screenwriter Mark Boal won for its “Best Original Screenplay.”

Jeff Bridges was finally recognized after his fifth nomination and promptly set the record for saying “man” in an acceptance speech. Sandra Bullock had a sense of humor about herself in holding the “Best Actress” Oscar just one night after taking home the Razzie...

With another year’s ceremony come and gone, the 2010 Academy Awards announced the big winners during a ceremony at Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday night (March 7).

Taking home the top prize of Best Picture was “The Hurt Locker,” which ended up winning a total of six Oscar trophies.

As for the actor/actress categories, the Academy bestowed honors onto Jeff Bridges, Sandra Bullock, Mo’Nique and Christopher Waltz.

The complete list of 201o Oscar winners is as follows:

Actor in a Leading Role

Winner: Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”

George Clooney in “Up in the Air”

Colin Firth in “A Single Man”

Morgan Freeman in “Invictus”

Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker”

Actor in a Supporting Role

Matt Damon in “Invictus”

Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger”

Christopher Plummer in “The Last Station”

Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones”

Winner: Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”

Actress in a Leading...

Whenever you have a music-based feature that fully embeds original song content in the lead character and storyline, then I don't think there are that many more options to look elsewhere in the category. This and the other songs gave Crazy Heart its backbone and charm. Looking good for the certified win for Bridges. - The Noms: “Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman “Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman “Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36” Music by Reinhardt Wagner Lyric by Frank Thomas “Take It All” from “Nine” Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston “The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett...

We can finally close the book on 2009. The Oscars have come and gone and The Hurt Locker has triumphed, winning Best Picture and five more awards including Best Director and Original Screenplay. I started tracking this season's Oscar contenders way back in July of 2009 and it has been a long road and each year I'd like to think I learn a little something new about the process.

The first thing to realize is that the likelihood the film you believe to be the best of the year most likely will not win Best Picture and may not be recognized at all. What you have to hope for is that quality wins out over mediocrity in whatever category we are discussing. And for that matter I would say this year's Oscars were, for the most part, a triumph (a statement regarding the winners and not the show itself, which was sort...

A couple of Academy crowd-favorites won the top acting awards, and The Hurt Locker got the biggest prize of the night!

Sandra Bullock won her first Best Actress award — and even she seemed surprised by the win. Jeff Bridges didn’t seem overly shocked to nab Best Actor, but he still gave a aww-inducing speech celebrating his eminent show-biz family. We particularly liked the dude with the crazy hair who won for Sound Editing and Sound Mixing (Paul Ottosson of The Hurt Locker) and yawn Sandy Powell won for the third time for costume design (The Young Victoria). And you’re probably looking for all the rest of the winners, neatly formatted …

Best picture “Avatar” “The Blind Side” “District 9″ “An Education” (Winner)”The Hurt Locker” “Inglourious Basterds” “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” “A Serious Man” “Up” “Up in the Air” Best actor (Winner) Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart” George Clooney,...

Oscar winners 2010 list is here.

We already wrote about possible winners and competition between- James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow, so we can say that we’re not at all surprised that this was Kathryn Bigelow’s night.

The Hurt Locker won 6 Oscars, including honour for Best Movie and Best Director.

So, Bigelow became the first woman to win an Oscar for Best Director.

On the other hand, the movie that still sits on the top of box office, James Cameron’s Avatar definetely had a bad luck. The movie won only 3 golden statues in technical categories – Art Direction, Cinematography and Visual Effects.

We can’t help but think that this show really seemed like Bigelow’s sweet revenge.

Sandra Bullock was named best actress for The Blind Side after she proudly attended Razzie 2010 event and took completely different award.

“Did I really earn this, or did I just wear you all down?...

History was made tonight by Kathryn Bigelow for becoming the first female to ever win the Academy Award for Best Director for The Hurt Locker. Shortly after another bomb exploded when seconds after she walked off stage Tom Hanks announced that The Hurt Locker was also the Best Picture, beating out the favorite Avatar and team Cameron. The Iraq War drama earned six total Oscar wins at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing. In the Best Actress/Actor categories, Sandra Bullock beat out Meryl Streep for Best Actress for her role in The Blind Side, and "The Dude" himself - Jeff Bridges took home the Best Actor Award for is role in Crazy Heart. The Best Supporting Actress went to Mo’Nique in Precious, while Christoph Waltz won the Best Supporting Actor Award...

Well, there weren't many major surprises nor many particularly memorable moments, but we still had a lot of fun watching the Oscars here tonight. Thanks to all of you who tuned in for the live podcast and joined us in the live chat over at Ustream [1]. As you may have heard, The Hurt Locker cleaned up, taking home a total of 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director, making Kathryn Bigelow the first female director to ever win the award. James Cameron's Avatar, on the other hand, won only for visual effects, art direction and cinematography. All of the acting categories went off as expected, with Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock winning Best Actor and Best Actress, while Christoph Waltz and Mo'Nique won the supporting trophies. If there was an upset at all, it was probably The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos), which beat...

So, this evening I headed to a rather exclusive Oscar party in central London courtesy of Grey Goose and watched the stars arrive on the red carpet followed by the ceremony itself on TV screens scattered around the venue. The evening opened with Neil Patrick Harris performing a stage show number followed by our hosts, Steve Martin and Alec Balwin doing some rather amusing gags. I have to say, the pair of them did a mighty fine job in my opinion. Far better than that of The BAFTA Awards where every joke went down like a lead balloon! The comedy highlight for me was Ben Stiller dressed as one of the Na’vi from Avatar which was just genius!

James Cameron’s Avatar won a few but the big news of the night was that the Kathryn Bigelow has become the first woman to win Best Director for her movie,...

The triumphant ones at the 82nd annual Academy Awards, in bold, alongside their fellow nominees

Actor in a supporting role

Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds

Christopher Plummer in The Last Station

Matt Damon in Invictus

Stanley Tucci in The Lovely Bones

Woody Harrelson in The Messenger

Animated feature film

Up (Pete Docter and Bob Peterson)

The Princess and the Frog (Ron Clements and John Musker)

Coraline (Henry Selick)

Fantastic Mr Fox (Wes Anderson)

The Secret of Kells (Tomm Moore)

Music (original song)

Almost There, from The Princess and the Frog, by Randy Newman

Down in New Orleans, from The Princess and the Frog, by Randy Newman

Loin de Paname, from Paris 36, by Reinhardt Wagner and Frank Thomas

Take It All, from Nine, by Maury Yeston

The Weary Kind, from Crazy Heart, by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

Writing (original screenplay)

The Hurt Locker (Mark Boal)

Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino...

The 82nd Academy Awards are now over and "The Hurt Locker" beat out "Avatar" and eight other movies for Best Pictures. Meanwhile Kathryn Bigelow made history by becoming the first woman to win the Best Director Oscar for "Locker." The film ended up winning six out of its nine categories. His fifth nomination proved to be the charm for Jeff Bridges, who was hailed as Best Actor for his performance as a weary country singer in "Crazy Heart." Sandra Bullock scored on her first nomination, taking home the Best Actress award for "The Blind Side." And as predicted, both Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds) and Mo'Nique (Precious) won in the Best Supporting Actor/Actress categories. Check out the full list of winners below. Best Picture: * The Hurt Locker * Avatar * The Blind Side * District 9 * An Education * Inglourious Basterds * Precious * A Serious Man * Up * Up in the Air Directing: * Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker...

The biggest night in Hollywood is here and over the next few hours they’ll be tears, cheers and (hopefully) a few surprises as the 82nd Academy Awards are handed out.

The sordid trudge up the red carpet has finished and I’m going to be blogging live as the winners are announced, you can have a look at our Oscars predictions here and follow us on as the Twitter storm rages, or get all interactive with FilmXtra Tom who is video blogging the Oscars here.

My hopes are with Colin Firth and Carey Mulligan and I’m secretly hoping that Tarantino walks off with Best Picture for Inglourious Basterds and Coraline bests Up for Best Animated Feature.

Ok… the time is upon us. I’ll be updating the blog with the winners as I go, as well as providing as coherent a commentary as possible.

Remember to keep hitting...

"The Insider" has your complete list of winners from Sunday night's 82nd Academy Awards! Read on to see who took home an Oscar on film's biggest night (winners' names bolded below)! Best Picture Winner: “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier and Greg Shapiro “Avatar” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers “The Blind Side” Nominees to be determined “District 9” Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers “An Education” Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers “Inglourious Basterds” Lawrence Bender, Producer “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers “A Serious Man” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers “Up” Jonas Rivera, Producer “Up in the Air” Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers Directing Winner: “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow “Avatar” James Cameron “Inglourious Basterds” Quentin Tarantino “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels “Up in the Air...